In the journal "Orthopadie" 112 (1974, page 968-970), under the title "Die Beckenendoprothese--eine Alternative zur Hemipelvektomie bei Tumorpatienten" ("The Pelvic Endoprosthesis--an Alternative to Hemipelvectomy for patients suffering from tumours"), a pelvic endoprosthesis is described which consists of an implant piece which on the one hand has a recess for receiving the acetabular fossa and on the other hand is individually so matched to the pelvic shape of the patient that, as a result of this, as stable as possible a construction with solid anchoring to the healthy, remaining parts of the bone is achieved from the start after resection of the diseased parts of the pelvis. In this publication, a pelvic endoprosthesis is described and shown which was produced individually for the patient, in a five-week procedure, and which essentially consisted of four elements. These elements were the groove-shaped receiver, provided with bore holes, for the upper portion of the ilium, a tie-bar, the acetabulum and, finally, a seat and pubic bone support with the requisite fasteners.
These parts were constructed individually and welded to one another.
It is apparent that inexpensive and rapid manufacture of such large components which are to be constructed individually is not possible and that, in particular, operations which must be carried out rapidly cannot be carried out using pelvic endoprostheses of this type.